ECUA potable water meets all federal and state water quality standards. Recent information carried by local media sources and promoted by individuals regarding two separate and unrelated water quality matters, to be accurate, involves groundwater and private wells, not the ECUA potable water system. ECUA potable water meets all federal and state water quality standards. Furthermore, the ECUA does not have any responsibility or authority regarding the management, regulation or oversight of stormwater, groundwater, septic tanks, or private wells.
The first concern is in regard to recent testing being conducted by the US Navy of water obtained at private drinking water wells identified in the areas surrounding NAS Pensacola, Saufley Field, and Corry Station. The Navy is testing for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. These substances are man-made chemical compounds that have been used since the 1950s in many household and industrial products, as well as in fire-fighting foam at airport facilities. An informational bulletin issued by the Navy to area residents clearly states that “the Navy is testing only private drinking water wells, not water supplied by public utilities like ECUA or Peoples.” ECUA and Peoples are regulated and monitored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and ECUA potable water meets all federal and state water quality standards established through the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The second matter relates to the Wedgewood community and the Rolling Hills landfill, which was closed in 2015. Again, ongoing issues at this location do not impact the potable water provided by ECUA to area residents. ECUA’s public supply wells are far removed from, and not influenced by the Rolling Hills landfill site. Water quality testing mentioned in news stories regarding the Rolling Hills landfill refers to private shallow wells only. The ECUA has no authority to test or regulate any private wells in the vicinity of the Rolling Hills site.
Your potable drinking water provided by the ECUA is safe and meets every EPA and FDEP water quality standard. The recent information about potentially contaminated water is unrelated to ECUA potable drinking water.
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